Defeat Time
by Lailaith
Summary: Draco's time has finally come. He's to become a servant of the Dark Lord, and he has less than a month to defeat time. What would happen if he tried to defy his father and all he stood for?
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: No one belongs to me, all character's belong to J.K. Rowling. 

A/N: This is my first fic for fanfiction.net, I'm trying it out on you guys too, along with some others. I need all the help I can get-please review with comments/critisism, I appreciate it all.

Defeat Time-Lailaith

Prologue: To Hell With it All

__

~I'm not afraid of dying. It's living I'm terrified of.~

White lightning ripped across the sky as sudden thunder echoed in the dungeons. A forebrooding statement that could be heard, yet not seen in the damp darkness of the dorms the Head Boy of Slytherin occupied. Lying on his bed, Draco's face contorted in a matter of pure frustration, anger and hate. The last letter he had recieved from his father lay open, the parchment was worn thin and slightly damp from being held by clammy, sweating hands. The blond boy's breathing came in shallow, shuddering gasps, as if a great pressure was being held on his chest, pushing the life out of him. And it was. Ever so slowly. Pale eyes re-read the letter for the fifth time since it's arrival.

__

Draco,

The time is drawing closer. You have less than one month

to prepare for your final task. The Dark Lord is anxious

to see where your capabilites and loyalties lie, I'm

anxious as well. I'm worried with your behavior, boy,

don't you dare shame this family. You know_ what will happen_

if you do. Watch your step. Don't say you haven't been warned.

I'll be in touch. -Father

Dracodesperately tried to grab onto a strand of hope, a stretch of a dream that could take away this life he knew. But reality closed in. _All_ he could do was dream. Nothingcould help him to escape this hell that had been looming closer since his fourth year. Lucius Malfoy expected Draco to be the next generation of Death Eaters, wanting the new tradition to be passed on from him, to Draco, to his son. If only he knew what went through Draco's head. Dreams of defying his tyrant father. Dreams of defeating the Dark Lord himself. Dreams of freedom. But those dreams always ended the same. The laughing face of Lucius would haunt the trails of happiness, jolting Draco back to conciousness. That thought made the boy's stomach lurch.

He threw open the door to the adjoiningbathroom_, _grabbing a wastebasket as his stomach heaved. His shoulders hunched, and hot tears streaming down his face, he fell to the floor. His stomach spasmed again, and again, until he felt as if his lungs would come up next. After some time, Draco finally stood, gripping the sink with normally delicate fingers. 

Running his forearm across his mouth, he looked at his reflection in the mirror. Platinum strands stuck to his ghostly pale, wet face. Usually blazing eyes had lost their brightness, replaced by a dull glazed look. Shirt plastered to a sweat soaked body_. _Draco slowly undid the buttons of his shirt with fumbling fingers, leaning his head against the cool glass of the mirror for support. He threw his shirt on the floor, the rest of his clothes following, falling in a heap next to the sink. Stumbling to the shower, Draco managed to turn the tap to cold, hoping the frigid temperature would relieve the burning in his head.

Standing under the jet of freezing water, the icy blasts dug into his back and neck like a thousand knives. Frantic thoughts started running through Draco's mind. _Less than a month...final task...**watch your step**...have they been watching me this whole time..._His voice echoed in his own head. _What the hell am I supposed to do now? It's not like I can stop him...I'll be killed either way. _Slamming his eyes shut, Draco let the water continue to stab him, welcoming the pain. 

After a while, fatigue finally crept over the boy. He turned off the tap and stood dripping while he reached for a towel. After drying himself and brushing his teeth, he returned to his dorm, where he slipped into a pair of silky, black pajamas before climbing into bed for the night. Looking beside his pillow, he saw the letter that still lay open. Grabbing his wand, he torched the letter in anger, letting the ashes fall onto the floor. 

Lying back on his bed, Draco finally managed to drift off into an uneasy sleep. 

__

All he saw was him and his father, standing before Voldemort. Draco was on bended knee, the marks of abuse visible on his face and arms. He looked up in time to see his father minister a final blow, that cruel, sadistic look in his eyes. He was laughing_. _

Draco's eyes flew open, his breath coming hard.

"Damn you, father."


	2. Fire and Ice

Thanks to those who reviewed-thanks again to my beta-Rhyannon, too. 

None of this belongs to me, the only two characters that do are Theresa Gants and Amanda Renoylds. The song "Not Enough" belongs to Three Doors Down

__

Defeat Time-Lailaith

Chapter One: Fire and Ice

~Seven days underpaid gotta

give it up

Got no time for this life that

I'm livin up

Shackled down, kicked

around, now slave to the 

grind

need some time for myself~

Three Doors Down-Not Enough 

"Ok team," Harry Potter shouted across the field. "That's enough for today. Next practice is tomorrow evening, same time as today. You all did a good job today," he concluded, landing on the soft grass. The sky was quickly growing darker, the air becoming cooler by the minute. Taking in a relieved breath, Ginny Weasley landed, loosened the straps on her wrist guards and threw her Nimbus 2001 over her shoulder. Her broom was her life, so to speak. A year after Oliver Wood left Hogwarts, Harry was named captian. That year, Ron became the new Keeper. After the two beaters and three chasers left, it was time to hold try-outs. 

Ginny went, fearful of humiliating herself, but proved to be an excellent chaser. As a birthday gift that year, her parents sent her a Nimbus 2001. Along with Ginny, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan made beaters and two fellow classmates of Ginny's became the chasers, Theresa Gants and Amanda Renoylds. Ginny was a major key player on the team. It became her life.

Skipping showering in the locker room, she instead decided to head back up to her dorm to shower before bed there instead. But she first needed to stop by the Library to pick a book she had requested. She briskly walked up the steps to the Castle, past the Great Hall and down a few corridors to the Library. 

"Madame Pince," Ginny inquired, walking over to the great desk in the front of the library. "Has the book I wanted been returned yet?"

The librarian shook her head, "No dear, I'm sorry it hasn't, yet. Give it another day, it's due back tomorrow."

Ginny nodded her thanks and walked slowly back out of the library. She had requested a book to help her with her astronomy lessons, which weren't going too well at the moment. Ginny sighed, feeling tired and worried about her astronomy grade, and started making her way back to the Gryffindor Tower.

--*--

Draco Malfoy slowly trudged up the steps to the school owlery. Kicking some straw out of his path, he made his way over to the family's eagle-owl, which sat perched away from the other school owls. Draco unrolled the letter he had written back to his father, complete lies, but a letter nonetheless.

__

Father,

I am thoroughly preparing for my final task

to complete my training with the Dark Lord.

Do not worry about my behavior, school

has been hectic, for it's my final year, you know.

Quidditch is going well, the first match against

Gryffindor is in a week, I'm confident of a win.

I await your next letter with instructions.

-Draco

Clenching his teeth tight, Draco rolled the letter back up and attatched it to his owl's leg with a piece of string. He stood at the window, watching the bird until it was no more than a speck in the darkening sky. Sighing, he retreated, making his way casually down the steps of the owlery. 

He continued down the hall, at an extremely fast pace, soon reaching the corridor which would eventually lead him down to the dungeons. As he rounded the corner, he met a wall of soft cloth and sweet smelling skin. Draco stumbled backwards, completely dazed. He caught a flash of flaming red hair and met two blazing eyes staring up at him from the ground. 

"Watch it, Weasel," he spat, "It's not good for a Gryffindor to be seen down by the dungeons all alone." 

He stepped over the dropped broom and wrist gurads and continued walking at a brisk pace, not once glancing down at the girl, leaving her in an openmouthed stare.

"Bastard," Ginny hissed at his retreating back. 

Draco stopped dead in his tracks. 

"_What_ did you call me, _Weasel_?" 

"You heard me," Ginny said, still on her knees on the ground. Lucky she had kneepads. 

"That's interesting, coming from a girl who's father can't pay for his own family's clothes and food, a girl who's infatuated with that git, Potter, a girl who's best friend is a fucking _mud-blood_," he whispered, walking towards her. 

Ginny launched herself at him. "Don't you ever," she slapped him hard across the mouth, "talk about my friends like that, you filthy son of a-" she stopped herself. She wasn't going to stoop to his level. He deliberately tried to get inside her head, to make her furious.

Draco _was_ furious. No girl had slapped him since the Granger incident in his third year. 

"Friends,Weasel?" he said, quietly. His face stung. Draco stopped less then a foot away from her. He could feel the heat from her anger coming off of her body. "I could hardly call the people you follow like a stray puppy _friends_."

Ginny stood her ground, not saying a word. Yet the frustration blazed in her eyes. That angered Draco. His eyes bored into hers. Fire met ice.

"Watch yourself, Weasel. If you know what's good for you, _watch yourself_."

--*--

"Did you hear about Malfoy, Harry?" Ron said in a hushed tone, leaning across the table. The two boys were in the Gryffindor Common room sharing a table with Hermione and Ginny. Ron and Harry were working on essays, and Hermione was helping Ginny with her Transfiguration homework. 

Harry looked up from his Potions Essay with with a confused look on his face. "No, what about him," replying in a flat tone. Potions wasn't going well, adding Malfoy to that mixture definately didn't help.

"My sister down there," he nodded in approval towards Ginny, "knocked the crap out of him."

A loud bang sounded at the other side of the table. A startled Ginny looked up from her burnt feather at her brother. 

"I d-didn't,"She stammered, not visibly caring that her feather was definately not transfigured into a flower. "I just slapped him...that's all."

"_Slapped_ him?" Hermione said, a smile twitching at the corner of her mouth. "Why did you slap Malfoy?"

Ginny let out an audible sigh. "He -" she tried to find a place to start. "He was making fun...of me," she covered, not wanted to get Harry and Ron too upset about Hermione. Ginny could handle her brother, Hermione would only get frustrated with his attempts to 'protect' her. "I got tired of hearing it, so I smacked him."

Ron looked at his sister, fury clearly showing in his face. "Making fun of you? You never told me that!" his voice started to rise. "I would have pounded him so far into the ground, there wouldn't be enough left of him to be recognizable-"

"Because_, Ron_" Ginny started, her voice extremely firm, yet calm, "I _knew_ you'd act like _this_."

Ron looked dumbstruck. He let out a feeble, "Oh..."

Ginny rolled her eyes at her brother, suddenly feeling a bit tired.

Hermione looked to Ginny, "Hey, are you ok?" she asked in a hushed tone. "He's only looking out for you, you know."

Ginny was staring at a point on the wall trying to calm herself. Her eyes snapped back into focus, looking at her friend. 

"Yeah," equally soft, "I know. I'm just sick of it" she added. Hermione looked a bit worried, but nodded. She packed her homework and books into her bag, threw away the destroyed feather and turned to Harry and Ron. "It's late," she said, trying to work her voice. "I'm going to bed. I'll see you all in the morning." Ron and Harry gave her a nod, acknowledging their goodnights. 

"Night, Gin," She heard Hermione saying. 

"Night, 'Mione." Ginny slowly made her way up to the girls Sixth Year dorms. She soflty closed the door behind her, letting out a sigh of relief that no one was presently in the dorm for the night. She walked over to her bedside table, and tapped the wizard radio that Hermione had given her for Christmas the year before. It was made to play both the wizarding worlds music and news as well as muggle music. Ginny had instantly fallen in love with muggle rock when she recieved the gift (as had her father). 

Ginny smiled as Three Doors Down came on, playing _Not Enough_. The song briefly took her mind off her overbearing brother, but only for the moment. After tidying up her room a bit, Ginny grabbed her pajamas and headed for the adjoining bathroom. Quickly undressing, she turned on the shower, and jumped in, not enjoying the feel of the cold floor and cool air. Letting the hot water spray down her back, Ginny let her mind go. Taking some deep breaths, she let herself relax and try to let her head clear of the past few hours contents. But her mind kept coming back to Malfoy. Draco. She suddenly shivered under the hot jet of water. 

Turning off the tap, Ginny stepped out of the shower, dried herself off and slipped into her pajamas. She shuffled over to the sink in slipper clad feet, and proceeded to brush her teeth. She caught her eye in the reflection. Flaming red hair stuck to still damp, lightly tanned skin. Blazing eyes stared back at her with an unusual fire kindled in them. Ginny audibly sighed, bending to spit in the sink. Head rising, she ran a forearm across her mouth. Shaking her head slightly, she bent down to retrieve her wand from her discarded school robes on the floor, sending droplets of water everywhere. She pointed her wand at her hair, muttering a quick-drying spell, before pulling the now dry, thick, shoulder length mane into a loose tail. 

Picking up her clothes which lay in a heap next to the sink, she slowly made her way back to the dorm room. Dropping her clothes in the laundry basket for the house-elves to pick up in the morning, she set her wand on the bed side table, lightly tapped the radio to turn alarm clock on, and climbed into the huge, four poster bed. Closing the curtains around her, Ginny lay back onto her pillow. "Something's not right," she whispered into the darkness, before falling into a fitful, uneasy sleep.

--*--

'DRACO!!!" Wirey arms wound themselves around Draco's neck. He rolled his eyes and tried to pry the death lock off of his neck.

"Go _away_, Pansy," he drawled, clearly _not_ in the mood. 

"But Draco," she whined. "Why's your face all red? All you alright?" she touched the red mark on his lower cheek close to his lip where the girl had slapped him. It still stung.

"I was teaching Crabbe and Goyle some fighting moves," he said, extremely annoyed, "and I got in the way of Crabbe's fist."

"Oh Drakie," Pansy whispered. "Do you need me to heal it for you?" she batted her eyelashes at him. Draco took ahold of the girls arms, throwing them off of him, with sheer force. "But-"

"_Not now_," he growled, turning away from her, and storming up to his dorm. He slammed the door and leaned against it for support. 

"Oh, Hell." 


	3. I'm Your Life

Disclaimer-All belongs to JKR. "I'm Your Life" belongs to Metallica

A/N: Thanks attackofthejello and draco-lover, also to Torrential Zephyr (I'm glad you liked the style I wrote part of the prologue in, it's different, but I thought it would add something...). Thanks again to my beta, Rhyannon. 

__

Defeat Time-Lailaith

Chapter Two: I'm Your Life

I'm your hate  
when you want love  
pay the price  
for nothing's fair  
Hey,  
I'm your life  
I'm the one who took you here  
Hey  
I'm your life  
and I no longer care  
I'm your dream, make you real  
I'm your eyes when you must steal  
I'm your pain when you can't feel  
Sad but true  
I'm your truth, telling lies  
I'm your reasoned alibis  
I'm inside open your eyes  
I'm you  
Sad but true

Metallica-Sad But True

"Hey, Gin. What's the matter," Hermione nudged the girl sitting next to her. It was Friday morning, and the students were in the Great Hall for their breakfast. The previous nights events still had Ginny's mind reeling. It wasn't the actual incident, it was her brother's protection that bothered her. 

"Nothing," Ginny's eyes still focused on a point on the wall across the hall. "Just tired. I didn't sleep well at all last night."

"Ah," she heard Hermione respond, not entirely convinced. Hermione's eyes followed Ginny's to the opposing side of the room. 

"Ginny," Hermione's voice was more urgent, but down to a whisper "It's not going to take long for your brother and Harry to figure out who you're staring at, you know. And if you don't want Ron on your back, I suggest looking away _now_."

Ginny's eyes snapped back into focus, the realization hitting her like a cold jet of water. "_Damn_," she cursed under her breath. She hadn't even realized she was staring at Malfoy. Ginny suddenly wasn't hungry anymore.

"I-I need to do something before Divination," she managed to stammer to a suspicious looking Hermione. "I'll see you at lunch." She grabbed her books and the Potions essay she had been trying to proofread. Shoving the contents into her bag, she stole one last glance at Hermione. The girl had her eyebrows raised in an inquiring manner. Ginny just shook her head. "It's nothing, Hermione," she said, knowing it wasn't entierly true. 

Hermione just clamped her mouth shut and looked down at her breakfast for a quick moment before turning to Ron and Harry. Ginny sighed, and started to quickly make her way out of the Great Hall. She unconsciously found her eyes wandering over the Slytherin table as she passed through the doors. "_Oh Hell,"_ she whispered to herself, her eyes catching on Malfoy. She stared at him for a split second before forcing her eyes to clamp shut and continuing out the doors. 

"Don't think I didn't see that, Hermione," Ron said, eyeing his sister as she walked out of the Great Hall. "If ferret-boy gives her any more trouble, he'll answer to me."

"Oh Ron," Hermione sounded annoyed. "Can't you let her fight her own battles for once?" her voice was slightly shrill. 

"Ha!" Ron turned to Harry, "Hear that?" He turned back to Hermione. "Oh..." his eyes fell, "...you were serious..."

---*---

Across the Hall, Draco was entirely conscious of the Weasley girl's eyes on him. "_So I did scare her_," he thought to himself, the corner's of his lips twitching. "_How perfect_," he thought, rising. 

---*---

Ginny sat on the steps leading up to the castle, her bag was next to her, her Potions essay was still not fully edited. She stared at the parchment, a quill in hand and hovering over the words, looking for mistakes. She was looking at the words on the page, but not exactly comprehending what she wrote. Her mind kept wandering back to her brother.

"Who does he think he is?" she asked no one. "I can take care of myself. I'm only a year younger," she mumbled. "Probably smarter than him, too." It wasn't just at Hogwart's that she was overprotected by her brothers. It was at home during the summer's too. Even Fred, George and Percy were like Ron. Always making sure she wasn't in any trouble, doing the proper things a girl should do. Only Bill and Charlie left her alone when they came home. She enjoyed spending time with her eldest brothers, they didn't make her feel like a little girl. 

Ginny clamped her eyes shut, willing herself to concentrate on the parchment before her. After another brief few minutes, she groaned, her head falling onto her knees. She sat up, shoved her unfinished essay into her bag, along with the quill and inkpot. She stood up, looking at her watch, she had five minute to get to Divination class. That brightened her mood a bit. Ginny's favorite class had always been Divination. It was one class she was extremely talented in. Even though she thought Professor Trelawny was a fake at some times, she didn't let that get in her way from learning on her own. 

Her spirits lifted slightly, she started back up the steps to the castle. She suddenly paused, hearing a rustling noise in the bushes lining the stairway. Ginny looked around for a moment, then her eyes caught the brown rabbit hopping away through the garden of flowers and other small bushes. Satisfied, Ginny continued up the steps to her first class. 

"_Let's try to make the day go well_," she whispered to herself.

Stepping out from behind a large bush and straightening his robes, Draco made his way after the girl to his Potions class. 

__

"Maybe today will be better," he said, not convincing himself in the slightest.

---*---

"Today class, we will be working once more with Tarot Cards," Professor Trelawny's voice filtered from the back of the inscense filled room to the front of the class. "You will be working on your own, giving yourself a reading, in the Pyramid spread we learned." A body now accompanied the voice up to the front of the classroom. "This spread will not only tell you of your future, it will help you to understand issues that are occurring in your life right at this moment. Take care in studying the Major Arcana cards, try to interpret their questions and messages. So," her spectacled eyes flitted across the room, "Take out your cards, and you may all begin."

Ginny dug into her pack, taking out her Divination book and box of Tarot cards. Bill and Charlie had gone in together to get her the intricately designed wooden box for her cards, knowing she had a great talent in the Divination field. The small carved box was covered with two dragons, an obsession of hers. They were both facing each other, as if in a dueling position, wings spread, fire burning. Ginny smiled. She opened up the box, and unfolded the silk wrapping the cards were in before taking them out.

After shuffling, cutting and placing the cards, she started at the right lower corner, the past, slowly turning the cards over sideways. The past was something that never phased her in these readings. They always told her of previous events, whether pleasant or unpleasant. She didn't always pay as much attention to these as she did with those of the present and future.

Coming to the fifth card, the present, she started to pay more attention. She turned the card over, The High Priestess. Mentally thinking of the meaning of the card, she tried to interpret it successfully. This card told the querent that they were often stronger than they realize, and must avoid overbearing situations. Ginny almost laughed. _They must mean Ron._

Ginny turned over the next card, Justice. Think through your current situation, don't sit and hope it will be resolved for you. Whatever path you choose, the future is in your hands afterwards. Ginny sat for a moment, still thinking of her issues with her brother. _So I guess I can do something about it. _

Cards seven and eight were two court cards, often cards that represent the people in your present situation. They both happened to fit the description of her brother_. I guess it's confirmed then. I have a problem with Ron, and I need to deal with it, in my own way._

Now was where it got interesting. The next three cards would help Ginny interpret her immediate future. Number nine was the Magician. Don't rush into decisions, impulsiveness may cause trouble in the future. Be more aware of your weaknesses. That puzzled Ginny. Not knowing what to make of it, she turned over card ten. The Star. The Star suggested a positive outlook on life in general, but avoid daydreaming. Still confused, Ginny turned over the eleventh card, the Six of Cups. Dynamic attraction to another person, which can be exciting, but do not make hasty decisions. Ginny stared at the three cards. They made absolutely not sense to her whatsoever.

The next five cards would tell her of the next turn of events. Placing her faith in the cards, she turned over the card in the twelfth position. The King of Wands. Ginny sat and pondered this card. The King was young, enthusiastic, perhaps restless with very little time to spare. He is noble, but his emotions are easily inflamed, though he is capable of achieving a great deal. His main faults are being pompous and dogmatic at times. The card was in a spot that created an aura of being very important in Ginny's life. Not knowing what to expect, Ginny turned over the thirteenth card. 

The Fool. The fool was one to represent the querent personally, perhaps setting out on a journey. The fool tells you that you may be at the beginning of a new project, making sure you see it very clearly before jumping in. 

Card fourteen was the Wheel of Fortune. Do not be afraid of the unexpected, it will open new perspectives. But be sure you have enough experience and knowledge before accepting changes. It suggests that your current circumstances are to change sometime.

Ginny was thoroughly confused. So far all she knew was that she was about to embark on a journey, with an easily outraged man, in which would somehow produce changes in their lives. 

Turning over the fifteenth card, she was very near to giving up. The Moon. The moon was commonly interpreted that the querant should allow themselves greater freedom of expression, don't avoid holding back or suppressing their feelings. 

Ginny slowly turned over the sixteenth card, almost afraid of what she was going to find. Her fears were confronted by the Tower. The tower tells you that you are in danger of taking serious risks, whether personal or physical. 

"That's good to know," Ginny said to herself. "So I can't hide my feelings while waiting for a man whom with I will start on a journey, taking very serious risks, changing our lives forever. How thrilling. If only I knew who that man was." She almost laughed. 

She continued on with the next four cards, the cards of the distant future. Card seventeen was the Page of Cups. The Page was a young man considering his life and love. His educational studies are very serious, and he's maturing very fast from previous experiences, at times he's introverted and shy. Ginny couldn't help connecting this person with the King of Wands, somehow feeling they might be different sides of the same person. 

Card eighteen was the Sun. The sun often interpreted into rewards for hard work. "So I'll be rewarded after these severe risks I will be taking," Ginny concluded. 

The nineteenth card was the Three of Cups, one of romance. You will know that you and your lover are blessed with true love and happiness. The Ten of Cups showed up next. It showed a happy family, success and fulfillment. That much made Ginny smile.

Ginny now hesitated above the final card. The twenty-first card always showed the outcome of the spread. Finally she flipped the card over sideways, her breath caught in her throat.

Death. 

The card of Death didn't necessarily mean someone was to die, but instead it generally meant that change would happen, whether you want it to or not, and new beginnings would ultimately result from them. The card says not to look back, but forward instead at the future, be brave and open-minded. The change can be motivated by ones self, or thrust upon you. Keep your mind clear for transformations.

Ginny sat staring at her reading, not quite understanding the meaning of it all. 

---*---

"It's all so unbelievably peaceful," Draco's mind rambled. "If only they knew what I know." He actually laughed out loud. It was lunchtime at Hogwarts. The mornings classes had passed uneventfully, as usual. Draco didn't know why he thought they'd be different today. Maybe because so much had changed for him last night, he'd thought it'd carry over to the next day. 

He stood looking out at the lake, he opted to skip lunch, something he frequently did, to come to his usual spot under a tree by the lake. "So peaceful," he repeated, aloud. He leaned against the tall base of the tree, leaning his neck back, his feet crossed, his hands in his pocket. His school robes lay at the foot of the tree, he didn't really care if they got dusty, he could always magic it clean again. His silent meditation was suddenly broken by a loud call, that of an eagle-owl. Draco groaned as he saw the family owl land on a large branch right above his head. 

The gorgeous, yet powerful bird sat still, his head erect, a sign that he knew he was important. Every feather was in place, his talons were as sharp as knives. He flew as if he was free, but Draco knew he wasn't. For so long, Draco had yearned to be the owl. To be _free_. But Draco soon realized he would hold an even more captive life than he already did. He would never be free. 

His father owned him as he owned the bird. 

He was his life. 

Draco's mood darkened quickly as he untied the letter from the bird's right leg. 

__

Draco, 

Don't try to reassure me about your

behavior, I know what's going on.

Don't ever think that you are strong enough

to hold power on your own. You need me. 

You need the Dark Lord. He will know if you're 

__

trying to outsmart him, boy. He'll always know 

that. It is too soon for instructions to be coming, 

you still have another two weeks before you know

exactly what will be asked of you.

He is your life, don't forget that. 

-Father

Draco nearly screamed in rage. "If only you knew, Father," he hissed. "If only you knew that I hate everything you stand for, I hate Voldemort, I hate you. I hate you for doing this to me, I hate you for what you've done to my mother, I hate you for what you've done to this world."

Draco ripped the letter into shreds before destroying it with his wand. He watched the ashes as they drifted off into the soft breeze, a very sudden, very cold breeze. Draco shivered visibly. He brought his hands up to his head, clenched his fists in his hair, holding back a scream of fury. He took a deep breath before bringing his hands back down to his sides.

His left hand glimmered in the sun. It was the ring. Draco pulled the ring off his middle finger, looking at it closely. It was the families ring, it had been for generations, passed down to every son in the family, that's how it had been since the Malfoy's had been established. He looked at the cursed piece of jewelry. His hand fisted around it, and he raised his arm to throw it into the lake. With enough force to break someone's arm, he hurled the ring into the lake, finally rid of it forever.

Bending down, Draco snatched up his robes and threw them hastily on before making his way back up to the castle, it was nearly time for Transfiguration. "So much for this day," he snarled into the air.

---*---

"Hey, Gin," Hermione tapped Ginny on the shoulder. "Want to go for a walk?" Hermione was giving her a look that told Ginny it was for the best. 

"Um, sure," she agreed. "Why not. Let me go get my cloak, it's a bit cold out tonight." 

It was Friday evening, Ginny had already been to Quidditch practice, and the two girls had already finished up most of their homework for the weekend. Ginny was actually surprised that Hermione wanted to take a break from her work, but she had an idea she knew what Hermione wanted to talk about. 

  
Ginny ran up to her dorm and grabbed her cloak off the back of the chair, along with her scarf, just in case. Running back down the steps, she found Hermione already waiting with her cloak, a pair of gloves and Harry's invisibility cloak. 

"Ready, Herm," Ginny called as she bounded down the last of the steps. They exited the common room under the protection of the invisibility cloak, feeling a bit guilty about confusing the Fat Lady. They walked in silence until they made it outdoors, where they took off the cloak. Ginny carried it in her folded arms, at least it would keep her hands warm in the cold air. 

"Ginny," Hermione started, as they walked towards the lake. "I know something's up lately, and I think you need to talk about it." 

Ginny stayed silent for a minute. She then suddenly remember the Tarot Cards. The moon had told her not to suppress her feelings. She sighed audibly, then turned to her friend. 

"Herm," she said quietly. "It's Ron. Not just Ron, but all my brothers, well, Fred, George, Ron and Percy for that matter."

Hermione nodded, knowing where this was leading.

"I just hate being treated like a little kid, you know? I can fend for myself. They're not always going to be there to fight my battles when I'm finished with school, or even next year for that matter. They don't seem to understand that."

"Why do you think they're like that," Hermione asked quietly. The started circling the circumference of the lake.

"I don't know, Herm. I guess 'cos I'm the baby. Not just the baby, but the only girl. They feel like they need to protect me from this big bad world. And I know they only mean good, but, well, it's getting on my nerves!" Ginny almost shrieked. 

"Maybe you should talk to Ron. Or maybe try talking to your whole family at once, that might make it easier. Not just for you, but for them too. Maybe you can explain what you just told me. I think it'd do some good, you know." 

Ginny nodded. "I know, and I think that's what I need to do, I just haven't tried it yet." She looked up at her friend. "Thanks Herm. Not just for listening, but for getting me to talk about it. You're great." 

Hermione smiled. "That's what I'm here for, Gin." 

The two girls walked in silence for a while, then Ginny finally spoke again.

"Do you fancy Ron?" She was that blunt.

Hermione nearly choked. The last time someone had asked her this, she was alone with Harry, at the Three Broomsticks, and Harry was nearly drunk. He'd had a bad day. That was nearly two years ago in their fifth year.

"Um," she tried to find the right words to answer. Hermione wasn't a exactly a stranger to romance. Just because she was a bookworm and study freak, that didn't mean she didn't have a good social life. First it was Viktor Krum, only for the summer going into their fifth year. Hermione finally called it quits before they went back to school, knowing that she really didn't like him the way she thought she did when they first got together.

Then it was Seamus Finnagan, during the beginning of their fifth year. They had dated for about six months when they both finally realized they just didn't have enough in common. 

After Seamus was a Ravenclaw Prefect, in their sixth year. Terry Boot. That was the biggest mistake of her life. The two had nothing in common, and was only with Hermione because of a bet some other Ravenclaws had set with him.

She had her number of small flings and crushes, but she never really did get the one she was after. 

"Yes," she said, bluntly. "I do, but unfortunately your brother doesn't understand that. I've tried to show him, you know. But sometimes he's just so thick!"

Ginny grinned before looking over at Hermione. 

"Maybe you should talk to Ron. Explain to him what you just told me. It might do you both some good," she said in a philosophical tone. 

Hermione stared blankly at Ginny before bursting into laughter.

"Well," she decided between laughs, "if you can try it, I guess I can too. It's only fair. But poor boy, Ron's going to be so confused when we're through with him!"

"Here's your chance to ask him to the ball too, Hermione!" 

The two continued around the remaining stretch of lake while discussing the upcoming Yule Ball. Professor Dumbledore had enjoyed the one during the Tri-Wizard Tournement a few years ago so much, he decided to hold one each year. It was only the end of November, but mid-December would be creeping up fast. 

"Hey," Ginny said, "We could go shopping at Hogsmeade tomor-" 

Ginny stopped dead in her tracks. The moonlight was reflecting off the lake, glinting on a small metallic object in the sand. Ginny bent to pick it up, gasping as the freezing metal bit into her skin. She held it up before her eyes.

"What is it, Gin?" she heard Hermione calling.

"It's...it's a ring!"


End file.
